Four Common Objections Exposed!
In this day and age that should seem like an obvious question, but we still get prospects and clients that ask and are skeptical if blogging will be effective for their business. According to Hubspot, 57% of businesses say they have acquired a new customer through their blog and I only expect this number to rise. It also rises the more frequently you update your blog. While it’s better than nothing, only blogging once per month is still not a very effective strategy. In this post we will tackle four of the main objections we receive and address each one with some insight and advice.
1. My Company is Not Interesting
This surprisingly is the largest objection that we come across. A lot of companies feel they don’t have anything interesting to share or their “industry” isn’t well suited for social media or blogging. In our opinion, it doesn’t matter if you are a HVAC contractor or an attorney, each company has knowledge that their customers and clients need. Easy ways to come up with blog topics or content is to speak to your customer service and sales reps: what are some of the most common questions they receive from customers? We have found there are common questions that can easily be addressed in the form of a blog post.
2. We Don’t Have Time
A lot of companies are busy managing the hundred other things that are going on at any given time. My answer is simple: Make the Time! If you can’t, then outsource to a professional copywriter. Copywriters have a strong skill in being able to communicate in the company’s voice and they do exhaustive research online to ensure they are providing accurate data and advice. They can be a great resource for companies that don’t have an agency or anyone in-house. No matter what strategy you choose, the take-away is that blogging really is that important, plain and simple. Companies should view their blog in the same light as they do a radio or TV commercial, it is another avenue to reach more customers.
3. Blogging Doesn’t Work
“We tried it for a month and didn’t receive any customers” sound familiar? Blogging is a long-term strategy and while this is hard to swallow at first, it’s a strategy that can pay large dividends for companies in the end. When we consult with clients we come up with a 12-month strategy on what goals they would like to achieve and how to incorporate the blog in the best way to achieve them. Spend the necessary time and energy to come up with a high level strategy and content plan. There is too much research showing how effective this can be.
4. We Don’t Want the Headaches
This is a valid concern and taking the first step into blogging or social media can be difficult for many clients. There are measures that can be taken to prevent these before they even happen. As with all campaigns think of your goals, who will be involved in the process and consult with other companies who have started or advisors that can provide insight. A simple social media policy will save a lot of time and headache down the line and can be found online without much effort. If negative comments of feedback keep you up late at night then start by turning them off on the blog. While we don’t recommend this as it discourages interaction, it is a simple measure to take in the beginning to help reduce a company’s liability. As Mark Twain said “The secret of getting ahead is getting started!”
By Drew Himel